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This was never much of a problem for me until I got larger kites - a 4D and an Acrobatx. I am not sure what the correct technique is. I place my kite on the ground (assembled) and then walk back slowly while letting out lines and trying to keep them just tensioned enough to keep the kite from moving back or worse falling forward (walk of shame) or worse worse getting lift from a fluke gust. The worst worst worst scenario is post a crash I mean firm landing - if I then am walking back I am holding lines and not a winder and if I get lift its a quick way to learn about rope burn or rope slicing.

So, what migth be the trick to doing this smoother? I saw kite stakes but am trying to figure what they would do; if you stake the kite the ground, good luck launching after all.

Best way is to have the kite face down into the wind, but the lines coming from the back and over the top of the kite. Then when you are ready to fly pull both straps the kite will roll over onto the tips and off you go, or pull just enough for the kite to be nose down with the back of the kite facing you and go for a K2000/Superstart take off.

When you are at the kite, with the kite in the launch position, let the kite fall onto it's back, now roll the kite back over it's nose untill it's on it's belly (the dead launch position). The lines should now exit the bottom of the kite and be laying over the back. With the nose facing into the wind, the wind is pushing the kite into the ground, it wont go anywhere unless the wind shifts. When you pull evenly on both lines, the kite will roll forward over it's nose into the launch position.When you want to park it after landing, give both lines a quick tug (enough to get the kite a foot or two above the ground) followed by lots of slack. The kite should roll backwards while in the air and settle on it's belly. Works best in the middle of the window.

A lot of older style low aspect kites don't flip over their nose very well. In anything up to 15MPH I just lay the kite on it's back and hold just enough tension as I walk backward to tilt the kite upand keep the wingtips and back of the kite touching the ground. Just sliding the lines through your fingers as you walk back to your handles is enough, but if you slack for a second your kite might move. This is dead easy for small kites like the Acrobatx and 4d. It's risky with big kites in strong wind. In that case I use a stake. I rarely use a stake

So, what migth be the trick to doing this smoother? I saw kite stakes but am trying to figure what they would do; if you stake the kite the ground, good luck launching after all.

Thoughts, comiserations?

They are called Kite Stakes, but they are really Line Stakes.

Stake the lines at the straps, not the kite. Then set the kite up leaning backwards so that it does not launch. Walk back to the stake, pick up the lines, put the stake in the side of your belt and launch the kite.

i use a kite stake(really just a big screwdriver) to setup my stacks. I put the kites down without putting the standoffs in place, attach stack and wind out lines. I then put stake in ground and hook straps on it, then go back to the stack and lean kites back against tension on lines, put in standoffs and get all the link lines right, pull tails out and lay them out. Return to stake and straps, takeoff. I will generally leave the stake in the ground(it has a big piece of caution tape wrapped around it, kind flag like) Or i will walk up closer to my bag drop the stake while flying. When i'm done flying I either land close to the stake so I can pick it up and hook the straps on it, reverse the rest of the process.Other things I've done, when flying big kites or foils, I take a take with me a 4 ft length of 1" diameter rope(its pretty soft and i use it teach knots too) and lay it on the trailing edge of the kite/foil to hold it down while i get he lines out. It then rolls off the kite when i launch. You may see womething like this called a 'kite monkey'; a filled 'snake' to weigh the kite down. A handful of sand works too if your at the beach.Single microns, I'll lay the kite on its back and quickly get the line out while holding some tension or set it on leading edge, hold some tension and kartwheel it before takeoff.Lastly, you can hold the lines when walking back from the kite to the straps but in heavy wind it can sometimes take off. If your worried about it you can walk back ON the lines holding them and the kite in place until you get to the end.

Forgot to mention that i have seen some homeade looking rigs that hold the kite until you takeoff. I saw pics from some of the speed kiting guys using them. I think the kite I saw it on was a Tiger II or a Tsunami speed kite. Not sure of the practicality for the average flier though.

So, what migth be the trick to doing this smoother? I saw kite stakes but am trying to figure what they would do; if you stake the kite the ground, good luck launching after all.Thoughts, comiserations?

They are called Kite Stakes, but they are really Line Stakes.Stake the lines at the straps, not the kite. Then set the kite up leaning backwards so that it does not launch. Walk back to the stake, pick up the lines, put the stake in the side of your belt and launch the kite.

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